Fremont County, CO
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Fremont County has experienced 15 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Covid-19 in 2020. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Fremont County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, wildfire, and landslide, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 39% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Fremont County has been designated in 15 declarations since 1965, covering 8 disaster types including fire (5), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2013 | Fire | Royal Gorge Fire |
| 2013 | Fire | Royal Gorge Fire |
| 2011 | Fire | Duckett Fire |
| 2005 | Coastal Storm | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003 | Snowstorm | Snow |
Showing the 10 most recent of 15 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Relatively Moderate | 94.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | 32 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 41.2 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 31.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83.8 | 21 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 25.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 17.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 13.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 39.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 93.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 31.1 | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Very Low | 51.8 | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Fremont County ranks in the 67th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 67th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 59th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 43rd | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 55th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 85th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 91st | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 94th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 53.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 55 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 32 in 2021–25 (+39% — frequency increasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Fremont County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Fremont County, Colorado are lightning, wildfire, and landslide. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Fremont County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Fremont County has received 15 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2020. The most common disaster type on record is fire (5 declarations).
Has Fremont County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
No federal disaster declarations have been recorded for Fremont County since the start of 2024. Its most recent declaration on record is Covid-19 in 2020.
How does Fremont County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Pueblo County, CO has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Custer County, CO has the lowest (Very Low). Fremont County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Fremont County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Fremont County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Fremont County's composite score of 69 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 69% of US counties.